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Mayor to tighten control of Ybor bars

Pam Iorio's proposal would revoke wet zoning for clubs that don't meet the state's liquor license guidelines.

By JANET ZINK
Published November 5, 2005

TAMPA - Ybor City clubs that don't serve enough alcohol may end up losing their right to sell libations altogether.

In an effort to limit the number of drinking establishments in the entertainment district, Mayor Pam Iorio wants to tighten the city's wet-zoning ordinance.

"We want Ybor to be a positive environment," Iorio said Friday. "We don't want an atmosphere that is out of control where people don't feel safe, where it's a lot of bars that open up a couple nights a week in order for people to drink way too much and get in trouble with the law. We want a positive entertainment district for a whole range of people to enjoy."

The change could target some of Ybor's most popular clubs, including the Castle Bar, Orpheum, Empire, Club Hedo and Rare Olive.

Under Iorio's proposal, the city would revoke wet zoning for clubs that don't meet the state's liquor license guidelines. Those rules require license holders to serve alcohol six hours a day 120 days out of the year or eight hours a day 210 days a year, depending on when the license was issued.

"I don't believe the state has given high priority to checking on the days and hours of operation. They have other things they're dealing with," said Jake Slater, manager of the city's division of business tax and utility.

The city ordinance change, which would require approval of the City Council, allows Tampa officials to tackle the issue at a local level.

Iorio hopes to take the proposal to the council by the end of the year.

Dozens of property owners don't meet state liquor licensing guidelines for days and hours of operations, according to a report from the city's business tax division. In some instances, it's because they are open only three days a week. Other properties do the minimum business to keep their wet zoning under the current ordinance.

The change would require owners of wet-zoned properties to provide items such as sales receipts, electric and utility bills to prove their hours of operation.

This week, Slater assigned Joe Papy, a business tax inspector for the city, to focus full-time on making sure all of Tampa's 1,400 wet-zoned properties follow regulations.

Cleaning up Ybor City is one of Iorio's top priorities.

In the past year, Iorio has approved a teen curfew, ordered sweeps on businesses that violate rules regarding noise, signs and crowd control, and opened Seventh Avenue to vehicles on weekend nights to curb the street party atmosphere.

But some business owners say the city's attempts to clean up Ybor amount to harassment and could run out the very businesses that helped breathe life into Ybor's once deserted streets.

A handful of nightclub owners have hired Luke Lirot, a First Amendment attorney best known for representing strip clubs, to publicize the positive aspects of their businesses and fight for relief from what they say is excessive regulation.

"I wish the mayor would just tell us where we're allowed to operate our businesses," said John Santoro, president of the Ybor Hospitality Association and owner of Amphitheater and Club Hedo, two clubs represented by Lirot. "The previous administration made guidelines for us to facilitate growth down there. We've pulled Ybor City out of blight and now this mayor seems to be saying thanks for the effort, now get out."

Janet Zink can be reached at 813 226-3401 or jzink@sptimes.com

[Last modified November 5, 2005, 01:22:18]